Some 257,158 acres of Forest Department land are under illegal occupation, and encroachment has been cleared from 30,162 acres of forest land up to May this year, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has said.

The minister gave the information in parliament on Tuesday (2 July) in reply to a written question from Awami League MP M Abdul Latif. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury presided, and the questions and answers were tabled that day.

Saber Hossain Chowdhury said that of the 257,158 acres of Forest Department land under illegal occupation, 30,162 acres had been cleared of encroachment by May this year. In addition, eviction proposals are being sent to recover 5,000 acres of encroached forest land through a "100 working-day priority action plan".

He said forest land recovered from illegal occupiers is being brought under the Forest Department and afforested, and efforts to recover the remaining encroached land have been stepped up.

Replying to another question from M Abdul Latif, Saber Hossain said the Sheikh Russel Aviary and Eco-Park, set up by the current government at Rangunia in Chattogram, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 11 November 2013. A ropeway, plantations for animal feed, ecotourism spots for recreation and various park infrastructure have been developed there, and the park is now open to the public.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.